Grate



Jlllly 9, 1935. H, T, HENRY 2,007,531

' GRATE I Filed June s, 1955 2 Sheets-sheet 1- 5kg/f@ y@ k3 i Bl ,1.

,m 1 E. u U y Kir? w ha July 9, 1935. I H, T, HENRY 2,007,531

GRATE med June s, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 2 'agonistiJ Patented July 9, `1935 OFFICE l toTheQ & C Company,`

corporation of Maine New, York, `N'.' Y., a. p

A Application June 3, 1933,` ASerial Noffi'lLlSO vlclaims. (Cineman) f -This invention relates to grate bars particularly adapted for -locomotive re boxes and `hasfor its object @to produce an improved grate bar structure designed successfully to meet the practical requirements of its special use and oier advantages over the types at present used.

Importantieatures of my improvement consist of lgrate .bar sections composed of a rockable supportingA member having detachable fuel supportingV bars ymounted thereon combined withimproved'securing means for the fuel'supporting or' grate bars adapted to facilitateA the` replacement of' individual bars while affording security against accidentaldisplacement. To this end the fuel 'bars' are desirably formed `with locking shouldersfor engagement with a movable key orlocking bar designed to be `actuated by one of the fuel bars, preferably the endmost of the bars, of the assembly, lsoxas'to lock or release all of the bars of, a grate sectionv depending upon'its position. Associated'with the actuated fuel bar thereis provided an escapement locking means whereby it is normally secured orlocked against displace'- ment whereby under normal conditions all of the fuel bars are securedr in position upon the supporting member. In further accordance Withmy invention, the fuel supporting bars are of special form to provide for indirect passage of they air to the fuel bed in a' manner better to promote the v combustion bly the admission ofan abundance of air, while avoiding localized Jair'blasteffect yunder forced-draft conditions. i

--flfhefioregoing and "other important features and advantages-of my .improvedlstructure willbe more fully `understood by reference to the'accomlpanying drawings wherein like referencey charactors vare applied to the corresponding parts in the several views. i i

" Figure 1 is a view inside elevationillustrating my improved sectional grate bar assembly. Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal, horizontal sectional view online-'fi of Figure 1. V

vFigure 4 is an enlarged cross `sectional view taken on unen-.4 of Figure 1.`

VFigure f5 is a vertical'sectional viewt'aken on lined-5 of Figure l. n I y if f Figure -6 isa partial View in side elevation of` my t improved grate `bar construction showing theendvmoet gratebar tilted .to position for yreleasing all the separabllgratebars and for itsremoval. f

Figurel'lisapartial, vertical, sectional View 'showing' itable'modicationi M u inl-tue app veci embodiment of the features of my invention as shown in Ythe 'drawings, the grate isf-composed ,of la plurality ofl parallel rocking rgrati-z bar sections of improved form, each grate bar section consisting of an elongated supporting 'bar havingtrunnion bearings at each end .and upon which is mounted a series of separable fuel supporting or grate bars formed to provide the air passages to the fuel bed as hereinafter more fully described. Y

Each supporting bar indicated generally by l isbf the/form of a beam,v provided at its ends with bearing trunnions 2-2,-the axes of which areisubstantially coincident with the upper surface of the `supporting member so as to provide a. depending support whereby the grate bar section by its Weight will assume a horizontal position. On its underside it is provided with the usual shaker armr 3 to which connection is made for rocking the gratesection. The upper surface of the supporting bar is formed as shown'vvith a series of spaced depressions 4 4 providing spaced bearings iorv transversely extending, separable fuel supporting or grate bars 5 extendingv equidistantly to eachsideof the supporting bar. The

f grate bars are formed and spaced from each other to provide the air passages to the combustion chamber and are mounted to have a limited rocking movement in a plane transversely of the supporting bar tov facilitaterocking or shaking of the gratesection and are further mounted upon the bar in a manner whereby they will, by ytheir Weight, Vassume `a normal horizontal position and are further formed for engagement with a lookin" kmember' of improved design adapted for simultaneously releasing all of the grate bars to allow `of the removal of individualv bars merely by vvertically lifting them'fromthe' supporting member. The 'improved design of the grate bars is best shown inlsigs.A 4to 6 wherein as shown the grate bars 5 are'integrally formed of upper laterally widened 'fuel supporting portions, having depending-web portions Sand `9 disposed at opposite sides' of the supporting bar land spaced to be fitted thereover by a substantially vertical movement, lThe upper'or head portion of the supporting bar' l `is formed of convex curvature `and the central bearing surface ofthe grate bars is of angular* form with'relation thereto `having bearingor rest vpoints Aupon the supporting bar at points. lll and ll at opposite sides of the central faXis-of the supporting bar. As a result the grate barswillnorxnally restvupon` the bearing points or lines il andil and uponrocking thereof, the bearing Vwillshiit to one or the other `side of the central vaxis,- thereby. to have a gravity` return to normal horizontal position. Withinthe spaced depressions of the bar I, it is provided with central shoulders or bosses I2, of a size to loosely fit within complemental notches I3 in the grate bars to maintain a centralized position of the grate bars upon the supporting bar I.

As will be noted, the opening defined by the opposed inwardly directed surfaces of the webs 8 and 9, is of aI size toI loosely encompass the supporting bar I, thereby to permit rocking of the grate'bar transversely of the supporting bar I which movement is limited by the engagement of the inwardly directed shoulder portions I4 and' I5 of the grate bar webs with opposed surfaces.

of the supporting bar I. The web portion 8 of the grate bar is formed with a shoulder I6 adapted to underlie a co-acting shoulder portion I1 of the supporting bar to resist upward displacement of the grate bar unless slightly shifted to the left as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. At its lower endr portions the web 8 is received within spaces formed between retaining shoulders 24 integrally formed on the side of the supporting bar I, the purpose of which is to retain the grate bars in proper vertical position. The opposite depending web portion 9 of the grate bar has its `innerwall surface cut out to form an upper inwardly directed retaining shoulder I8 and a lower hook or lock shoulder portion I9, the function of which is to co-act with an improved locking means for securing the grate bars in position upon the supportingfbar.

The improved locking means as here shown, comprises a shiftable locking bar adapted in one position to overlie the hook shoulder portions I9 of the grate bars to oppose upward movement thereof and in another position to be non-engaging with the shoulders I9 to allow removal of the ygrate bars.

In the construction as shown, the supporting bar member I is at its lower portion formed with a longitudinal slideway or bearing 'recess 20, formed in its side and providing a beari'ng for a'slidable locking .bar 22, provided on its router face with locking or key projections 23 'spaced to correspond with the spacing of the detachable grate bars 5. Adjacent to its end portions and extending from the opposite side of the locking bar 22, itis formed with inwardly projecting retaining lugs 25-26 having enlarged vhead portions adapted in one position of the bar lof the locking bar at one end thereof, as shown in Fig. l, it is formed on its under side with a vshallo'wrecess 32 Within which is received a small stop lug 33 on the upper side of the slide bearing shoulder of the supporting bar. This recess 32 and co-acting lug, limits the movement of the locking bar for normal operationfrom locking -to release position of the locking projections 23, with relation to the grate bar lugs I9, throughout which movement the retaining shoulders 25-26 will be positioned within the restricted openings 29-39 of the locking bar, so as to be retained in assembled relation therewith. Extreme elevation of the end of the locking bar at the recess 32 end thereof, will allow the bar to clear the -shoul'der 33 at the time of assembling the locking bar with the supporting member I.

'In accordance with a further feature of my invention, provision is made forV actuating the locking bar 22 by means of one of the detachable grate bars the endmost bar at the left end as here shown being employed for the purpose. To this end the locking bar at its end portion is provided with outwardly extended inclined shoulders 35, between them providing an opening for the reception of the shoulder portion I9 of the endmost bar, whereby upon a tilting of the bar as shown in Fig. 6, it will effect longitudinal shifting of the locking bar to release the individual grate bars to allow them to be removed vertically from the supporting member. This arrangement eliminates the function of a locking projection 23 of the locking bar retaining the endmost or actuator grate bar in its assembled relation tothe supporting bar I and there is accordingly provided special securing means for this end grate bar which consists in providing the laterally projecting retaining shoulders 31-38 on the supporting bar positioned tohave an escapement relation to the upper retaining shoulder I8 of the grate bar, whereby'when the end bar is in its assembled vertical position the shoulder 31 will oppose upward movement thereof and the shoulder 38 will oppose tilting movement until the end bar is slightly raised to clear said latter shoulder.

There is thus provided a simplified arrangement wherein separable grate bars of identical form are assembled upon a supporting bar with locking provision consisting of but a single movable locking member, having interlocked relation with the supporting bar and providing for the simultaneous locking or release of all of the separable grate bar members by a simple operation and allowing of individual grate bars to be removed from any portion of the bar at will.

A further important and advantageous feature of my present improvements consists in the formation of the fuel supporting upper surface of the grate bar in the manner as shown to provide the upwardly inclined side passages or grooves 49, formed in the side surface of the bars and connected by the cross grooves 4I in the upper surface of the bar and associated therewith the provision of a lateral projecting deflecting flange or shoulder 42, extending horizontally upon one side of each of the grate bars and provided with a series of air openings or notches 43, therein for the passage" upwardly of the air to thev combustion chamber. The arrangement shown combined with the spacing of the grate bars -from each other, is designed to provide the vdesired cross sectional area of air spacing providing an indirect passage of the air to the upper grate surface which contributes to improved combustion in that the indirect flow permits of the ad-I mittance of a. relatively larger volume of air with a dampened effect while avoiding the localized air blast effect vof Adirect vertical openings which are objectionable under forced draft conditions.

In Fig. 7 there is shown a desirable modified form of the upper bearing surface of the supporting member and coacting under bearing surface of the grate bar designed to obtain the normal return of the bar to horizontal position upon rocking thereof. As here shown, the supporting member vI is provided centrally on its upper sur, face with a flattened bearing surface 45 upon which the grate bar rests with a slightly wider co-acting bearing surface. Upon rocking of the grate bar the bearing engagement will be shifted to one or the other side of the central axis thereby to have anormal return by gravity.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A rockable grate bar section comprising a supporting bar member and grate bars detachably mounted thereon, said grate bars being formed with locking shoulder portions and a shiftable locking bar carried by the supportingr bar, said locking bar being formedwith locking projections disposed in one position of the barto have locking engagement with the shoulder portions of a plurality of the grate bars and simultaneously to release said bars to permit removal thereof when shifted to another position.

2. A rookable grate bar section comprising a supportingbar member and grate bars detachably mounted thereon, said grate bars being formed with locking shoulder portions and a slidable locking bar provided with locking projections disposed to have locking engagement With the shoulder portions of a plurality of the ,grate bars and simultaneously to release said bars when shifted to another position, said supporting bar andlocking bar being formed to have interlocking engagement to maintain an assembled relation and to allow of longitudinal movement ofthe locking bar with relation to the supporting bar. e

3. A rookable grate bar'section comprising a supporting bar member formed with fulcrurn bearings at its end portions and spaced depressions on its upper surface,separable grate bar units supported in said depressions, said grate bar unitshaving depending web portions disposed at opposite sides of the supporting member, one of said web portions being provided with an inwardly extending locking shoulder, a locking slide bar shiftably supportedon the supporting member, said locking bar being formed with locking projections adapted in one position of the bar to overlie the grate bar shoulders to oppose removal of the grate bars from the supporting bar and interengaging means between the supporting bar member and the locking bar to limit movement of the latter from locking to release position.

4. A rockable grate bar section comprising a supporting member formed at its ends with fulcrum bearings, separable grate bar units mounted upon the supporting member and formed with I with one of the grate bars engaging means therewith operative to effect shifting of the locking bar upon tilting of said latter grate bar to effectV simultaneous locking or releasing of other of said bars. f

5. A rockable grate'bar section comprising a supporting member formed at its ends with fulcrum bearings, having a series of spaced transverse bearings on its upper surface and having laterally extending retaining shoulders, separable grate bar units supported in said transverse bearings and having depending web portions disposed at opposite sides of the supporting member, oney engaging means between said latter grate bar and the looking bar to effect movement of the locking bar to lock or release the other of the grate bars.

6. A rockable grate bar section comprising aL supporting member formed at its'ends with fulcrum bearings, separable grate bar units mounted upon the supporting member and formed with retaining and locking shoulder portions, a locking bar slidably supported upon the supporting member, said locking bar being formed with locking projections adapted in one position of the bar to overlie the grate bar locking shoulders, said supporting member beingformed with retaining shoulders positioned to be engaged by the grate bar retaining shoulder of one of said grate bars normally to oppose vremoval thereof from the supporting member but to allow removal upon the tilting thereof and engaging means between the latter grate bar and the locking bar for the actuation of the latter.

7. A` rockable grate bar section comprising a supporting member formed at its ends with fulcrum bearings, having a series of spaced transverse bearings on its upper surface and having laterally extending retaining shoulders, separable grate bars supported in said transverse bearings and having depending web portions disposed at opposite sides of the supporting member, one of said web portions being engaged by the retaining shoulders to oppose tilting from the vertical, the other of said web portions being provided with inwardly directed retaining and locking shoulder portions, a locking bar slidably supported on the supporting member, said locking bar being provided with locking projections adapted in one position of the bar to overlie the locking shoulders, one of the grate barsbeing supported to allow tilting thereof and having enm gagement with the locking bar to eiect shifting thereof and retaining shoulders on the support- `ing member positioned to engage the grate bar retaining, shoulder of the tiltable grate bar.

HAROLD THOMAS HENRY. 

